Going away with the family is a magical time of year. Whether you’re getting ready to take your youngest paddling in the sea for the first time, or watching your teens shriek their way around the local water park flumes, this is the time that many families look forward to most of all.

But what happens when things go wrong – when a passport goes astray, you lose your holiday money, or one of your party falls ill and can’t travel? These are the sorts of things that can turn a dream holiday into a nightmare, and you can end up spending your days visiting passport offices or chasing holiday reps when you should be kicking back under the sun with a good book and a glass of something cool and refreshing.

Of course if you’ve organised the right level of family holiday insurance, you’ll find that everything will be taken care of. You’ll be financially reimbursed or compensated for any mishaps under your policy, which means that you can relax, safe in the knowledge that you and your family are properly protected.

So what type of cover can you expect when you take out holiday insurance for families? It varies enormously, but you should expect cover for a range of eventualities, including medical emergencies, holiday or flight cancellation and curtailment, personal accident, loss of money, passports, baggage and personal possessions, and even 24 hour emergency assistance. These are the sorts of items that major tour operators such as Thomas Cook include in their family holiday insurance, and taking out this type of cover can go a long way towards helping you enjoy peace of mind for your family getaway. After all, it’s a small price to pay for family protection and to help you enjoy your trip to the full.